Blowpipe apparatus.



W. C. BUCKNAM.

BLOWPIPE AIKPARATUS. 'APPLICATION FILED 121113.11, 191s.

Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

W. C. BUGKNAM.

BLOWPIPE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED PEB. 11, 191s.

Patented Nov. 24, 1914,

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2,

\N Wh. mb.. m@ \W NW WITNESSES W. C. BUGKNAM.

BLOWPIPB APPARATUS.

APPLICATloN FILED 11113.11, 1913.

1, l 1 8, l 83. Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

4 SHEETSSHBBT 4.

llllllllll )Il Al.

ATTURNEY f-UNitrED srli'riis YORK.

OFF-1GB'- woivrHY c. iUcxNAM, or* JERSEY cir Y, NEW` .I EivsEif, aseiefNoit'ro Davis" iaoUaNoNviLLE COMPANY, or NEW YORK; N. ir., A conifoRA'rIoN 0E NEW l Specication of `Letters Patent. v Patented Nov, 1914.

\ Application led February 11, 1913. Serial Ito.V 747,681..

` T all 'whom it may concern.'

ting apparatus,

form 'predetermined speed,

Aangularly advanced durin Be it known that I, VVoirrnY'C. BUciiNAM, a citizen of the Unitedl States, and a lresident of Marion, Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of'New Jersey, have invented certain Anew and useful Improvements in Blowpipe Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention 'relates to oxy-acetylenc, oxyhydrogen or similar' lilou-'pipe apparatus for cutting and welding metals.

Oneof the objects ot' the present invention is to provide a simple, portable device,

requiring no special meansof support', for

carr ing and mechanicallyY propelling the to produce the cut is commenced as' soon as the cutting oxygen is turned on \and whereby the .oxygen is cut ofi as soon as the relative travel is stopped. This feature is applicable to any power-driven gas cutting apparatus.

A further object is to provide means,-

readily Vand accurately controllable by the operator, whereby the torch or .jets can bc the relative travel, so as tocut through t e lower lcorner of metal at the end of the cut.

vStill'another object is to provide. means for adjusting the jet-delivering means so as to produce either vertical or beveled cuts.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention: Figure 1.is a side view 1 of the jet-bearing carriage represented as traveling on the surface of a sheet or plate.

The cutting torch or blowpipe is shown in full lines angularly tilted or advanced to a greater degree than would be us'ed in practice, for the sake of, showing .the parts clearly, dotted lines being used to illustrate Vthe normal vertical position of the torch;v --F ig. 2 1s al plan View, the radius arm' beig broken away to conomize space and the torch being removed; Fig. 3 is a detail view illustrating the 4center and its manner of mounting; Fig. 4 is'a vside elevation', with parts in vertical section, showing another form ot" carriage; Fig.4 5 is a plan view of.'

the same; and Fig. 6 is a. diagrammatic view illustrating the coordinated power and gas f control.

' The apparatus is designed primarily for cutting, which, as' is well known, is performed by an oxygen jet, which rapidly -oxidizes the metal along the desired line of cut, being assisted in this action by one or more heating jets or small flames of a combustible mixture, such as acetylene and4 oxyger, which raise the metal locally to a high temperature so thatthe oxygen jet can take effect. The apparatusv can be used for welding, however, in which 'case the blowpipel would simply deliver an oxy.- acetylene or oxyhydrogen or similar iiame suitable for4 autogenous welding.

The torch or jet-delivering means is :moved about over the -work by a small,

portable, self-supporting wheeled carriagev adapted to travel directly on the surfaceof j the latter and having drivincr wheels with mechanical driving means geared thereto,y

so that 'the carriage can mode about freely on a sheet'or .plate to be'cut.' The jet-deacter, though' by preference'I employ a' removable and replaceable cutting torch 10 of standard construction. The construction of such torches is well knowninthe art and -livering means 'may he of any suitable char l requires no special description. My prior Patents 1,044,741 of November 19, 1912 and 1,049,807 of 'January 17 1913 show suitable constructions The present torch is shown as havingfthree connections 11, 12,- 13. at

the rear or upper end for attachment Vof iexible hose leading fromv suitable sourcesof supply' and leading, respectively, oxygen .for the heating jet or jets, oxygen for the cutting jet, and acetylene for the heating j'et or jets. It will be understood that other place of acetylene. The

through a nozzle or tip 14, the cutting jet 'the oxygen orifice being indicated at 15 and a heating jet orifice at 16. Where a single heating jet is employed it is located in advance of the cutting jet, relatively to the direction of cut; if more than one heating jet is employed they can be disposed in any manner to .secure the best heating effect. The. cntting oxygen proceeds straight through the torch and emerges at the orifice 15,"While and acetylene for heating are caused by customary provisions to mix in the torch before leaving the tip. The iovv of the gases can be turned on and off by suitable valves 1T. 18, 19. While three hose connections are shown, it Will be understoodthat a tivo-hose torch, such as shown in my Patent 1,044,741 before referred to, would be equally suitable, in Whlch event only a single oxygen supply is used,

the flow of oxygen being divided after cntering the torch, part going to the cutting jet and part to the heating jet or jets. Furthermore, While the heating and cutting streams are preferably delivered from a single nozzle, it' will be obvious that separate nozzles could be employed.

The carriage is illustrated in two forms in Figs. 1 and 2, and 3 and 4, respectively. ln the first construction the carriage has a platform or body `2O supported on' four Wheels 21, 22,- 23, 24, though three Wheels would be suiiicent to render the device selfsnpporting, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The Wheels 2l, 22 are driving wheels, and they 'are preferably the leading Wheels. The wheels 23, 24 followl directly after them. The wheelsare mounted to turn on shafts 25, 26, 27, 28, which are carried by bifurcated bearings 29` 30,

adapted to travel line over a plane surfacefwithout guiding means. The Wheels are knurled or milled on their peripheries, as indicated, so as to secure proper traction.

The driving Wheels 2'1, 22 have gears 33, 34 fixed to them and meshed by pinions 35, 36 Hxed to a transverse shaft 37 journaled in suitable bearings 38. This shaft carries a worm Wheel 39, which is driven by a worm 40, on a Vertical -shaft 41 journaled in a bearing 42 and having a Worm Wheel 43 at its upper end, which in turn'is driven by. a Worm 44 on the armature shaft of a small electric motor 45 mounted on the platform.l

This mechanism constitutes the preferred form of mechanical drive, but other forms of mechanical drive' may be employed. Driving from an electric motor mounted on a freely-movable Wheeled carriage that carries the torch is especially desirable, since value. For small, traveling,

.3 aws 50,' Which are 31', 32 that project downward from the platform. The struc-- ture constitutesa rigid carriage which is accurately in a straight the apparatus constitutes a unitar device only requiring to be connected Wit ternal supply circuit in order to be in readiness for operation. 'Moreover, the only external connections are flexible electric Wires, and the 'movement of the carriage can be instantly started and throwing a switch.

lln both welding and cutting the rate of .relative travel between the jets and the Work is an important factor, and forbest results the speed should be uniform during any particular operation. For any particular set of conditions, such as character` and thickness of metal, size and velocityof the gas streams, etc., an appropriate rate of travel can be ascertained which will give best lresults.A Consequently a mechanical drive which permits the jets to be propelled relatively to the work, or viceversa, steadily and at exactly controllable speed, is of-great ...torch-bearing apparatus of the general c aracter illustrated herewith I have devi-sed a special form of controllable drive includin an electric motor geared to the drive Whee s and an `adjustable brake for delicately controlling its speed. ln the accompanying drawings l and bearing againsta drum 48 on the arma' The said arms are fixed to pivoted on a stud 51 and are adjustableby means of -a screw 52 threaded through one of them and bearing against the other. rlhe force exerted by this screw is transmitted through the spring arms as a yielding pressure on the armature shaft, which can be regulated to a nicety..

ture shaft 49.

stopped by merely fhave illustrated such means, in the form of ddii The torch 10 is adjustably supported by y,

the carriage through the agency of an arm 53, which at its outer end carries a holder or collar 54 in which the torch is clasped and may b'e adjusted up and down to position its jet orifices nearer to ,or farther from the surface of the Work. so as to be capable of swinging about a vertical axis, so that the torch may be supported at a distance from the side of the carriage, as indicated in Fig. 2, or at any point on the are of movement tersect the platform. Preferably the plat- `form is recessed at the 'forward end, as shown at 55, so that the torch `can be positionedtt 180 from the position indicated in Fig. 2. Ilfhis movability of the torch-sup porting arm relatively to the carriage is of great value in enabling theltorch to operate along the desired line, when it may not be possible or convenient-to displace the .carriage laterally; and it enables the torch to be disposedahead ofthe carriage, so thatit can cut to the edge of the plate Without bringing the front Where it Will not in-n lll@ The arm is mounted l Wheels up to or beyond the le@ '80 to the rear.

edge. Furthermore, it provides means for varying the radii of the circles. or arcs that canl be cut by the aidrfof-.the radius rod and center presently to Lbe described. The sup" 5 port for the torch arm `is a c lindrical ost 456 rising from one cornerA o the' -plat orm over the center of the driving wheel 21,to

Which-gest the arm is secured by aclamp collar l By loosening the-screw 58 of this collar the arm may be swung about the post as a center, and on ti htening it the arm is reliably held in the esired position. The

same means enable the arm to be adjusted up and down on the post, which'ls of value, for example, when the carriage 1s caused to t run on rails or other means of support at a make a bevel cut; and the other. permits thel torch to be tilted forward or backward, so that the jets can be inclined ahead, or even In the particular construction shown, the arm 53 has two rotatable joints. The axis of one of them is transverse to the arm and the axis' of the other is lengthwise,

of the arm. The first joint. is shown as a lmuckle joint, indicated at 59, which can be held at'any adjustment by its nut 60. The other is shown as a swivel joint, indicated at-61. "This, joint can be tightened by its .screw 62, which draws the edges of thesplit 40 collar 66 together. Both joints can be constructed so as to be frictionallv self-holding ,at any position, so that the screw devices will onlylhave to be tightened from time'to time to take up wear. The arm as thus constructedcomprises three pieces. One con# sists of the clamp collar 57 and the bifurcated. member 63 ofy the knuckle-joint. The

intermediate section comprises the complementary member 64 of the knuckle joint and 50 va cylindrical portion 65 formed integral with it and constituting the pivot member ofthe swivel joint; and the louter section' comprises the torch-holding'collar 54 and the split collar 66 forming the outer member of the swivel joint. In the position shown in Fig-2, the knucklejoint enables the torch to be tilted transversely of the line of travel, so that lthe oxygen jet can out on a bevel when desired, while the swivel joint enables the torch to be tilted in the plane of the cut so that the jets may be .':ngularly advanced'. Fig. lillustrates -an exaggerated degree of tilt effected by virtue of the qswivel joint.

Mechanical means are provided whereby the angular advance ofthe jets by tiltingr [is preferably the-torchin the vertical planeK the cut he produced conveniently and-w1th precision durin the relative travel between the jets and t e wo l thesw'ryel joint is shown 'as provlded wlth a lug-67'forming an abutment, against which To this end the collar 66 of -I a screw 68threaded through a lug 69 formed integral withthe member 64 is adapted to bear. The screw 68 has acircular knurled headkby means of which -it can conveniently, be operated. By turning the screw so that V1t presses'` rearward against the lug 67 the ltip or jet-delivering portionof the torch .is tilted forward, and this can be done gradually as the torch approaches the far end of the cut, so as to' reduce the likelihoodv of the lower corner of metal `escaping the action of theI cutting jet.

Means are provided whereby the carriage 'carriage remote froml the support of the torch-bearing arm. Thisradius-rod extendsv 'horizontally to a suitable distance and the center 73 may be adjusted along it to vary the radlus. For this purpose the center is mounted in a slide 7 4 which may beset at any point on the rod bya screw 9S. The.

center is movable longitudinally and also rotatable iny bearings inthe slide 7 4 land in a downward-projecting,sleeve 75 fixed thereto; and this sleeve has a cam slot 76 in which operates aradial pin 77.0n the center, the

ends of the slot being formed to hold the pin I l in either up or down position. The center is normally supported slightly above the surface of the work. and turnina'it by means of the knurled head on its upper end moves 1t downward agalnst the work. and by reaction lifts the near wheels 22, 24 a slight distance in-to the air. In order that the center may engage the -work securely, a depression provided for it by means of a pjmch. M .4

.To facilitate the circularwmovement of the carriage .about Athe center, the rear outer wheel 23 is mounted so -as to be capable of acting like a caster. To this end its bearing 1s of caster formation and has a spindle 78, which 1s capable -of swiveling in the platform though normally held, againstv turning -,by a set` screw 79. When' the device is to be used for cutting circles' or arcs this set screw is' loosened; otherwise it is screwed up s'o that its point engagesa recess ,1n the side 41a, which may he formed in sections, is a` ot the spindle so as to hold it from turning. The center 73 is preferably located opposite the #center of the driving wheel 21, and is also in line with the center of the post 56 and with the center of the torch when the torch-bearing arm is in the positionV shown in lfig. 2, or in the osition at 180 when the torch is disposed 1n the recess.

'lfhe apparatus described is especially adapted for traveling directly on the surface of the work, such as sheets or plates. 0b'- viously, however, it can run yon simple grooved traclrs whenever this may be preferable. Thus, tracks may be laid on the Work so as to project at both sides thereof, thus enabling the carriage to start from a position in advance of one-edge of the plate to be cut and to run beyond the far edge.

The device may be used for elliptical open# ings, or, rather, oblong openings with rounded ends, by allowing it to travel along a straight line for a distance corresponding to the length of one straight side, then ar'- resting this movement, .depressing the center so as to raise the inner wheels 22 and 24,'

starting the motor again so that the torch cuts on a semicircle, and thereafter stopping this movement and raising the center so that the machine can travel on a straight line parallel to the other. lWhen the second straight side is completed, the other circular end is cut in the same manner as the first.

Figs. 4 and 5 show a form of the invention designed to travel directly on the worlt and capable of changing its course in any direction. The platform 20a is here shown of triangular shape and provided with three supporting wheels 21, 22a, 28a. All oit the wheels have vertical spindles, such as shown at 80 in'Fg. t, which are mounted to turn in vertical bearings 81. lFixed to each of the spindles is a gear 82, which meshes with a central gear` 83 that is mounted on a vertical shaft 84 journaled in a bearing 85. On the upper end ot the shatt 84 are .radiating arms 86, constituting handles, whereby the gear may be conveniently turned to steer the carriage. lllhislgearing, and the handles'forl operating it, constitute an embodiment of means for turning all of the wheels to one side or theV other, so as to change the'course of the carriage. lThe steering mechanism may be locked against movement when de'- sired by means of a set screw 87, which is threaded through the-bearing 85 so as tobe capable of bearinglagaiust the shaft 84.- TheA wheel 21'a is driven bythe4 motor d5 mounted on the platform, the motor shaft being provided witliia worm 44a which meshes with a. worm wheel 43 on the upper part of a shaft 412, which passes axially through 'the spindle' 80. 0n the lower end of the shaft worm 40, which meshes with a worm wheel 39a fixed to a spur-gear 88 meshing with a wheels equally. 'llo this end each of -the w enables the motor to drive the wheel 21'* irrespective of the operation of the steering mechanism.l Preferably two or all of the are' driven, smultaneousl and i'ieels is mounted and provided with drive mechanism in the same manner as the wheel 21, and the several drive shafts 41E, rotatable in the sleeve spindles'SO carrying the wheels, are provided with sprocket wheels 100, connected by a sprocket chain 1015 'lhus the motor drives all the wheels simultaneously. ln this form of the device the torch is supported in the same manner as in Figs. 1 and 2, except that the split clamp 57 encircles one of the tubular bearings 81 in place ot' the post 56. 'In operation this formh of the invention can be used to cut along any dcsired irregular curves or angular lines, or

the steering mechanism may be locked so 'already made, vthe gap can be bridged by putting down a piece' of tin or other thin sheet metal for the wheel or wheels to run on. A

As illustrated more particularly in Figs.

1 and 6. the controls of the cutting oxygen and of the power for driving the carriage and thereby producing relative ,movement between the jets and the work are combined. ln the present instance this -is accomplished by attaching a switch 90 to the end oi the valve 18, by which the cutting oxygen supply is turned on and oli'. Consequently this switch i-s turned simultaneously with the valve when the valve handle 91 is moved. ll`his switch opens and closes the motor circuit, as indicated diagirammaticallyT in Fig.

6. One terminal 92of this circuit is secured to a binding post 93l on the torch, and the other terminal 94 is secured to a contact 05 mounted on but insulated from the torch. When the cutting oxygen valve is closed,this being the position indicated in F ig. 1, the switch arm 00 does not touch the contact 95, but .when the handle 91 is moved through so as to open the conduit the arm rests on the contact 95 andv thereby closes the circuit. rlhus, the cutting oxygen anales and the power for driving the torch are turned on simultaneously and Waste of the oxygen is avoided. The stoptping 'of the carriage and the cuttiii oiil o the oxygen are also simultaneous. efore opening the cutting oxygen valve the acetylene valve 19 is opened, and the acetylene emergin from the heating jet orifice or orifices' 1s hghted. Tlieheating oxygen valve 17 is then turned on to combine with the acetylene to produce the Oxy-acetylene heating flame or jet. Vhen the heating` ame has played upon the metal for a time, so as to raise the starting point to the proper temperature, the oxygen valve 18 is opened and the relative movement between the jets and the Work in the direction of the line of cut. begins. Fig. 1 represents the valves 17 and 19 open and valve 18 closed.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A self contained, mechanically pro pelledy as cutting apparatus, portable and adapter? to travel in any desired direction on various underlying surfaces, the same comprising jet-delivering Ameans .mounted on a portable, self-supporting carriage having three or more rolling supports movable on the surface of the work or other underlying surface, and also carrying means for mechanically propelling it and the jets so as to advance the cut at uniform speed.` j

2. A portable, self-contained, mechanically-propelled gas cutting apparatus, comprising a portable, self-supporting wheeled carriage adapted to travel on various underlying surfaces, jet-delivering means thereon, and an electric motor also mounted on the carriage and geared to one or more of itsy propelling it and the jets so as to advance the cut at uniform speed. and adjustablel frictional resistance means for exactly varying the' speed of such advance.

4. In a gas cutting apparatus, the coinbination of suitable jet-delivering means, a wheeled traveling member for moving the same over the work to advance the cut, a

-motor carried by said member and geared toa wheel thereof to drive the same at uniform speed, andan adjustable braking dechancallypropelling the same at uniform speed, and an adjustable mechanical resistancel for exactly varying the speed at which the motor advancesthe cut.-

6. A self-contained, mechanically-propelled lgas cutting apparatus, portable and adapte to travel 1n straight or .curved lines 70 on various underlying surfaces, the same comprising jet-delivering means mounted on a portable, self-supporting carriage having three or more rolling supports movable lon the surface of the work or other underlying surface, and also carrying means for mechanically propelling it and the jets so as to advance the cut at uniform speed, in combination with a radius arm and center for confining the carriage to circular movea ment when desired. i

7. A self-contained, mechanically-pro-4 pelled (gas cutting apparatus, portable and adapte to travel in straight or curved lines on various underlying surfaces, the same comprising j et-delivering means mounted on a portable, self-supporting carriage having three or more rolling supports movable on the surface of the work orother underlying surface, and also carrying means for mechanically propelling it and the jets so as to advance the cut at uniform speed, in combination with a radius arm and center carried by the carriage, and means for bringing the center into engagement with` the work when desired;

8. Apparatus of the character described, comprising jet-delivering means, a self-supportin wheeled carriage therefor, mechanism ior driving the carriage, a center cairied bythe carriage at one side, and means for projecting said center downward so as to raise-the near wheel or wheels and cause the carriage to travel in' a circleon the remaining wheels.

9. Apparatus of the character described, comprising jet-delivering means, a self-supporting wheeled carriage therefor, mechanism for driving the carriage, a center cai'- ried by the carriage at one side, and means whereby the near wheel or wheels are raised when the center is engaged with the work.

10. Apparatus of the character described, comprising jet-delivering means, a'self-supporting wheeled vcarriage therefor, mecha- 115 nism for driving the carriage, a center carried by the carriage at one side, and means whereby the rear wheel or wheels are raised when the center is engaged with the work, y of the remaining wheels one being a driving wheel and the other having a swivel mounting and means whereby itv may be 'held against swiveling or free to swivel.

11. Apparatus of the character described, comprising a self-supporting carriage with rolling supports., mechanism thereon for applying power to drive the same, an arm` mounted on said carriage to swing relatively o the carriagein'a horizontalplane, 'and a' torch carried by' said arm. J

ist

may be ti ted up and down, and a-torch` holder swiveled on said outer part.

, 14. Apparatus of the character described, comprising a mechanically driven self-supporting carriage with rolling supports, a. torch, and a. structure supporting the same from the carriageand enabling angular adjustment of the torch foi-sand aft and also angular adjustment thereof laterally. l5. Apparatus of the character described, comprising a mechanically driven self-supv porting carriage with rolling supports, a torch, and an arm adapted to support.. the

torch at tlievside of the carriage'and mounted to' be capable of swinging the torch around to one end of the same.

16. Apparatus of the character described, comprising a cutting torch, a mechanically driven part carrying the same, and means for angularly adjusting the torch transversely of the direction of cut and holding it at the desired adjustment so as to tilt the torch transversely of the direction of cutting. j

l?. Apparatus of the character described, comprising means for delivering heating and oxygen jets, a support for maintaining the same at the appropriate distance from the Work, drive mechanism for producing relative travelbetween said support and the worin-,and mechanical means for controllably angularly advancing the jet-delivering means.

18. Apparatus of the character described, comprising jet-delivering means, and means `for supporting the same at an appropriate distance from the Work including joints whereby the jet-delivering means may be tilted in planes perpendicular to the Work and at right angles to each other and held in either angular adjustment.

19.111 apjmratus for cutting metals byA mea-ns of gases, the-combination of means for delivering heating and oxygen jetsa pou'cr, l1-ive for producing relative move- ".ment bctivecn thc jet-delivering means and the work in the direction of cutting, a valve control-ling the oxygen `jet, and a power controlli-ngmember coordinated with the valve' for simultaneous operation.

20. Inv apparatus forcutting metals by means of gases, the combination of means mechanically comprising jet-delivery meansmounted on a. portable,

self-supporting' carriage `having threeor more rolling supports'movable on the surface ofthe )vork or other underlying surface, and also carrying means for mechanically propelling it and the jets so as trolling device operatively connected with to advance the cut at uniform speed, in combinationwith means on the steering 1t in any direction.

` 1 22. A. self contained, mechanically-vpro# .carriage for pelled gas cutting apparatus, porta-ble'and adapted to travelin any desired 'direction on various underlying surfaces, the same comprising jet-delivery'pmeans mounted on a portable, `selffsupporting carriage having three or more lrolling supports movable on the surface of the'work or other underlying surface, and

also carrying means for l mechanically propelling it and the jets so as to advance the out at uniform speed, in combination with means for simultaneously steering the rolling supports so as to change the direction of travel.

23. IA self contained, .mechanically pro-V pelled gas cutting apparatus, portable and Wheels and carrying jet-delivering means,

and driving vmeans connected With Said Wheels and mounted on said carriage for propelling the carriage and the jets so as speed. v

24. A self-contained, self-supporting, mechanically-propelled gas cutting apparatus, portable and-adapted to travel in any desired direction on an underlying surface, the same comprising acarriage mounted on three or more Wheels and carrying jetfdelivering means Wholly supported thereby, and a motor and speed regulating means mounted on the carriage and connected With said Wheels for propelling the carriage and theo `jets so as to-'advance the cut at predetermined .uniform speed.

25. A self-contained, self-supporting, 'mechanically-propelled gas cutting apparatus,-

portable and adapted to travel in any desired directionv on an underlying surface, the

Asame comprising a carriage mounted on three or more Wheels, atorch holder on the carriage, a torch removably mounted said vadapted to travel in any desired direction.

to advance the cut at uniform ric holder und wholly supported by the cau'- ringe, :unl u. motor und speed regulating means mounts-.ll on the. carriage and con` nected with said Wheels for propelling they carriage und the jets so asin advance the cut :1t predetermined uniform speed.

In witness whereof I have signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses,

VORTHY C. BUCKNAM. W 'tnesss LOUELLA F. Lnimzn. 

